Bank OZK rings opening bell to celebrate rebranding, new ticker symbol

Little Rock-based Bank OZK (NASDAQ: OZK), formerly Bank of the Ozarks, celebrated the first day of trading under its new name and ticker symbol OZK, marking the occasion by opening the market Monday morning (July 16) at NASDAQ.

Bank OZK Chairman and CEO George Gleason was joined by executives from throughout the company to ring the opening bell at the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square.

“Today marks the beginning of a new journey — one that illustrates our bank’s evolution in a changing industry,” Gleason said in a statement. “Our new name reflects our rich history and our commitment to being a leader in technology and innovation as we continue our expansion across the United States. We’re looking forward to embracing a larger role in the nation’s banking landscape under the banner of Bank OZK.”

The Bank OZK name and new logo, announced earlier this year, appear on the bank’s website, mobile banking, branch interior signage, correspondence and documents, effective today. Exterior signage with the new name and logo will be installed at Bank OZK’s 253 banking offices and ATMs over the next 90 days. Customers can use their existing debit cards and checks without interruption.

Bank OZK, the largest bank in Arkansas, went public in 1997 with $307 million in assets. It now has $22.2 billion in assets (as of June 30), with 253 offices in 10 states.

In mid-day trading Monday, Bank OZK shares were down 2.09% to $41.24. In the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $40.15 and $53.70